and i'm a big space geek. i love that. we'll see you back here tomorrow. "in the arena" starts right now. >>> good evening and welcome. i'm tom foreman. tonight we are getting mixed signals about a possible back room deal on the debt ceiling just hours away from what president obama at least at one point called a deadline for a decision. "the new york times" says president obama and the republican speaker of the house john boehner are close to an agreement. roughly it would involve $3 trillion in cuts and an eventual overhaul of the entire tax system. here's the catch, though. other sources are shooting down the idea that this is even happening as fast and hard as they can. listen to boehner himself earlier today on rush limbaugh's radio show. >> rush, there is no deal. no deal publicly, no deal privately. there is absolutely no deal. >> no deal, no deal, no deal. now, here's the white house spokesman jay carney. >> there is no deal. we are not close to a deal. we are -- obviously, the president is in discussions with all the leaders of congress as well as